Apparatus for recovering metal from scrap material.



lful Tmprovement'in ARPARATUS FOR naciera.

To all 'whom it may concern:

lBe it known that l, JOHN` W. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county ot Cuyahoga and State' ot Ohio, have invented a certain new and use- Apparatus Vtor Recover ing Metal from Scrap Material, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for carrying out a process disclosed in a companion application led August th,1914,'Serial No. 851,058, which process relates to the recovery ot metals from scrap material, such as borings, filings, turnings, clippings, punchings, and sawings, of the metal'or metals which it is sought to recover.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations thereof set forth in the accompanying claims.

ReferenceA should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which the drawing shows in eleva: tion with parts in section a more or less diagrammatic representation ot the apparatus.

At 1 is represented afurnace which may be ot any desired construction. As here shown, the .walls are made of tireproot reractory material having a due outlet 3, and a burner 2 projecting into the interior of the furnace. This burner may be of any desired pe. A melting pot or crucible 4i extends within the furnace, being su ported at its lower end by a pier 1', and at its upper end the pot is provided with an outwardly extending dange which rests upon the cuter upper'suriace ot the furnace. p It cover 5 closes the top of the crucible, this cover being made in two parts, and is provided with anopening 5a for the reception oi the shaft ot the vstirring apparatus. The cover is split 'through the opening 5m.

There is also an opening 5, which is adapted to receive the end ot a conduit 6, through which `an inert or oxidizing reducing gas may be supplied through the opening 5b to the interior of the melting pot. In other words a gas of any character may be supplied through the opening 5b of the cover and thereby maintain the atmosphere above the bath in thecrucible in any desired condition, and more particularly control the oxidizing power of the atmosphere. There is alsojan opening 5 in the cover which is adapted-to Specification of Letters Eatent.

REC'VER'LNG @MUM SCRAP TJTATEREAL.

Patented 22, lilith lApplication. tiled 3111371315, 1914. Serial 1T o. 351,057.

receive the nozzle 7 of a vacuum conduit which will be later described.

Suitably mounted adjacent the melting pot is an upright post 8l, upon which is slidably mounted a yoke 9, this yoke being adapted tol be secured to the post 8 in any desired manner. `Upon`the post 8 and between the ends of the yoke is a collar 9a, to which is pivotally secured a the lever 10 is a depending arm 11 which at its lower end carries a presser head 12. The lever 10 and the arm 11 are each provided with a series of openings, and the arm 11 is carried upon a pin or bolt which extends through a registering opening in the arm 11 and lever l0. By virtue of the openings, relatively adjustability between the arm l1 and lever 10 may be secured.

Upon the upright 3 there is slidably mounted a bracket 13. This bracket may be held in place in adjusted position in any desired manner, as by a suitable clamp. At the upper end the arm 13 has a shaft 14 journaled therein. The end of this shaft, which is above the support 13 carries a worm wheel 16, which coperates with a suitable worm driven by the motor 17, which motor is mounted upon the bracket 13. `The portion of the shaft 14 extending below the `bracket 13 carries a stirring device 15, which in the present instance comprises a head 15a with downwardly extending arms l5, which are'rigidly secured to the head.

lever 10. Mounted upon l upon the upright,

Whenit is desired to use the stirrer, the Y cover 5 is. removed, the arm i3 raised and swung toward the melting pot, and the stir ring device lowered into the melting pot. The covei` 5 is then replaced, the opening 5a accommodating the shaft 14: which is just above the head ot the stirring device.

The nozzle 7 is connected by means of a vexible tube 35 with a pipe line 36. This a branch 37 and are under suction is provided with pipe line line and branch both pipe by l indicated in the drawing.

The pipelines 37 and 36 are provided with valves 33 and 39 respectively, whereby they may be individually opened and closed.

The pipe 37 communicates with the chamber 19` of a fume arresting device 18. There is a partition 21 which extends across substantially the middle of the fume arresting device, `providing an ,upper chamber 20. Through this partition there is a wall openmeans of a suitable suction apparatus,

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a-, naciera ing, and above the opening a spreading device 22. Adjacentthe top of the chamber 20 there is a head 23 from which depend fibrous strips 24: which strips extend substantially to the bottom of the vchamber 20. pipe connection 25 between the lower and upper parts of the chamber 20. In this pipe connection is a pump 26, by which liquid material may be pumped from the'lower part of the chamber to the upper part. The head 23 is provided with openings so that the liquid material discharged onto the head will iind access to the strips of fibrous material. These strips of brous material at their lower ends will normally extend into thebody of liquid in the lower part of the chamber. The

purpose of the construction described as being within chamber 20 is to provide a large surface of contact between the fumes and condensing liquid. l

At the lower part ofthe chamber 19 there is a door 19a by which material'that may collect within the chamber 19 may be removed.

At the upper part of the fume arrestin device there is an outlet 27. The outlet 27 may have a fan 27a of suitable type associated therewith, for the purpose of producing la suction through the chamber 20 and the parts connected therewith.

The pipe 36 is connected with a separating devlce generally represented at 28. lThis deltends nearly from wall to wall.

'some metals Such as blue vice is lprovided with a partition which ex- There is however, an opening represented at `31a and above this opening is a b aile plate 31". partition 31 divides the separating device into two chambers 29 and 32. The lower walls of the chamber 29 slant tow-ard a gated opening represented at 30. Through this opening material collecting within the chamber 29 may be removed. In the opening 31a there is a fan 31C. The fan shown is simply indicative of any suitable suction device which will place the chamber 29 under suction and expel the air through the openings 33.

The top of the chamber 32 is provided with a series of openings generally represented at 33,y and over each opening 33 is a bag 34 through which thev air escaping from the lchamber 32 must pass, the bags acting as a sleve to remove fine particles. The bags may be supported in any desired manner.

he process which .is carried out by the apparatus herein described is as follower Material in the form of borings, filings, clippings, punchings, sawings, etc., of the metal or an alloy of the metal which is desired to recover or certain condensation products of powder or similar substances, are placed within the melting pot 4, the cover is placed thereon, and the contents o the meltin pot heated. As soon as the material in' tg@ lower portion of the melting pot has been suiiciently hot so as to There is a The y be in a plastic condition, the cover is removed and the presser head 12 introduced into the melting pot, and the surface of the material therein is subjected to pressure. The presser head is then removed and the cover replaced. The material in the melt' lng pot is further heated, and when the whole mass has reached a plastic condition,

-t e cover is again removed and the presser applied, forces the smaller particles of metal.

to unlte with each other.

Atthis stage, the metal in the melting potA 1s removed, leaving the dross behind. The dross -is then broken up and a flux mixed with it. Heat is then applied, if necessary,

the stirring apparatus brought into opera-` tion, and theisuction nozzle 7 is introduced through the'oplening 5c in the cover, to the g upper part of the crucible. rThe fumes which may be formed due to the heating and stirring of the flux with the dross, are drawn from the melting pot and carried over to the chamber 19 of the fume arrester, the valve 38 being opened and the valve 39 closed.

The heavier particles of the fumes carried into the chamber 19, will by gravity, fall to the bottom of the chamber, and may be removed by way of the door 19a. Such particles as do not settle, will be carried into the chamber 20, and there be removed by contact with the moistened strips of fibrous material 24.

When the fumes have thus been removed,

the suction nozzle 7 is introduced deeper into h `the melting pot until it comes in contact with the dross, and thenthe dross is `carried over into the chamber 29 of the separator 28, the valve 38 being closed, and the valve 39 open. In this separator, the heavier particles, usually of metal, fall to the bottom of the ch-amber'29, and may beremoved through the gate opening 30. .The air under suction passes into the chamber 32, and out through the ports 33, beingstrained through the bags 34 -in its passa e.

It will thus e apparent that not only is the metal separated in the crucible recovered,

but also such metal as may be included in the dross. Furthermore, the material forming the iux which may vaporize and form fumes, is recovered in the fume arrester.

Under the in, l include borin sawings, lilings, clippings, guidings an all similar material and also such `by-products produced by con densation such as blue powder.

1Having thus describedymy invention, l c a1m:

1. Apparatus for the recovery of metalfrom scrap metal material, 'comprising a term scrap metal, as used her'eneonata melting pot, means for applying heat to such pot, and means for forcefully applying pressure to the material within said pot for the purpose ofdisrupting any globules in said material.

2. Apparatus for the recovery of a metal from scrap metal, comprising a melting pot, means for applying heat to said pot, a presser head, means for operating the same to apply pressure to the material within said pot. 4

3. Apparatus for the recovery of a metal from scrap-metal, comprising a melting pot, means for applying heat to said pot, a support adjacent the said melting pot, a lever pivoted upon said support, and a presser head pivotally carried by the lever.

4:. Apparatus for the recovery of metal from scrap metal, comprising a melting pot, means for applying heat to said pot, a supporting device adjacent the melting pot, a presser head, lever mechanism orsupporting the said presser head, and operating the same, a stirring device, and means for operating the same carried upon the said supporting device.

5. Apparatus orthe recovery of a metal from scrap metal comprising a melting pot, means for applying heat to the melting pot, a supporting device adjacent the melting pot, a presser head, adjustable lever mechanism for supporting and operating the presser lheadfan arm carried by the said support, a stirring mechanism supported from the arm, and operative mechanism 4for the stirring mechanism also supported by the arm.

6. An apparatus for recovery of metal from scrap metal material comprising a melting pot, means for heating said pot, a stirring device associated with the pot, a conduit adapted to be maintained under suction, and a fume arrester and iux recovercr connected with said conduit.

7. An apparatus for recovery of metal from scrap metal material comprising a melting pot, means for heating said pot, .a stirring device associated with the pot, a conduit adapted to be maintained under suction, and a fume arrester comprising two chambers divided by a partition but communicating through an opening therein, one of said chambers receiving heavier particles, and means in the other chamber aHording a large surface of contact between fumes and` a condensing liquid. 8. Apparatus Jfor the recovery of a metal from scrap metal comprising a melting pot, meansfor heating the said pot, a suction conduit, means for connecting the suction conduit with the interior of a melting pot, a fume arrester, and a separator connected with said suction conduit, and valves controlling the connection of the suction conduit with the said fume arrester and separator.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. BROWN.

Witnesses:

A. J. HUDSON, L. l. PORTER. 

